This invention relates generally to a user interface of a printing system and more particularly to an attribute value clearing system in which a user is prompted to delete image data whenever the user seeks to clear attribute values before a data storage threshold has been achieved.
In the area of digital copying, there is a growth in demand for what is commonly referred to as "multifunctionality". As illustrated by U.S. Pat. No. 3,957,071 to Jones, a multifunctional digital copier can assume the form of an arrangement in which a single print engine (e.g. xerographic or thermal ink jet print engine) is coupled with a plurality of different image input devices (or "services"), with such devices being adapted to produce image related information for use by the printer. The '071 Patent discloses that the image related information, in one example, could have its origin in video facsimile signals, microfilm, data processing information, light scanning platens for full size documents, aperture cards and microfiche. The following patents also relate to the area of multifunctional digital copying: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,821,107 to Naito et al.; 5,021,892 to Kata et al.; 5,175,633 to Saito et al.; 5,223,948 Sakurai et al.; 5,276,799 to Rivshin; 5,307,458 to Freiburg et al.
One of the advantages to a multifunctional copier resides in the capability to program a job relative to multiple services so that, as disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 5,301,262 to Salgado et al., a distribution job including one or more job segments can be developed. As disclosed by the '262 Patent, each job segment is programmed with a job ticket to define suitable inputs and outputs required to implement the job. In one example, a user can program a job with both a copy segment and a fax segment so that one document copy is provided at the output of a host multifunctional printing machine and another document copy is facsimile transmitted remotely of the host multifunctional printing machine. As is known, programming of each job segment is preferably achieved with one or more programmable dialogs, each of which is referred to as a "job ticket. Each programmable dialog includes values which are selected with a user interface, such as the user interface provided with the DocuTech Production Publisher (Model 135) ("DocuTech" is a registered trademark of Xerox Corporation). Job tickets can vary dramatically in both structure and functionality. In one instance, the job ticket may assume the form of a relatively simple dialog displayed on a liquid crystal display ("LCD"). Attributes of a corresponding job, such as desired image processing, designated stock and finishing characteristics may be displayed for setting of suitable output values, e.g., stock size.
Since the programming for a job can be relatively complex, it is often desirable to provide a plurality of job tickets, corresponding with a plurality of frames. In practice, each dialog relates to the programming of a set of job attributes, such as stock characteristics.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,079,723 to Herceg et al. discloses a touch dialog user interface for programming a reproduction machine through use of a touch control CRT screen with a display for providing a message area, user interface state selections, and plural tapped file folders. Each file folder, when opened, in turn, displays a smaller card file of tabbed cards with an adjacent work area. Each card in the card file, when opened, provides a display of icons representing first level machine programming selections for touch selection. Each icon, when touched, displays further icons representing second level programming selections in the work area for touch selection.
Some of the basic concepts of U.S. Pat. No. 5,079,723 have been incorporated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,260,805 to Barrett in which an electronic printing system with a touch screen for programming print jobs using job tickets displayed on the screen is provided. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,260,805, the job tickets have various job programming choices together with scaled representations of a print image superimposed on selected print media, and a control for comparing the size of the print image, as originally oriented with a maximum image size. A full message is displayed on the screen, in the event that the print image size exceeds the system maximum image size, even though the print image as displayed fits into the print media.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,271,065 to Rourke et al. discloses a technique for printing a signature job, i.e., a job resulting in a plurality of sheets being imaged on signature print media sheets, in a selected order for creating a booklet. A plurality of job tickets are employed to program the signature job. In one aspect of the technique, lay-out work for the signatures to be produced is performed with a job ticket in which a gutter and margins are programmably set for each pair of electronic sheets on one side of an electronic signature sheet.
As can be appreciated from the above discussion, a given job can be associated with a plurality of job tickets and each of those tickets can include a set of attribute values specific to a particular user. At one time or another, the user may seek to "clear" these values. In a conventional "light-lens" copier, this clearing function may be performed automatically so that all programmable values are returned to a default condition. This same sort of clearing function is also available in the more advanced Docutech Production Publisher.
In the DocuTech Production Publisher, however, enablement of the Clear button, which is provided with a job programming screen is not believed to clear all of the screens associated with a given job, but rather those screens associated specifically with the programming values of the job. Thus certain other dialogs, such as dialogs associated with job or machine status are not cleared by selection of the Clear button. It would be disadvantageous to provide a multifunctional printing system possessing a user interface that is incapable of being cleared readily at multiple levels. At the same time it would be undesirable to clear all of the dialogs without suitable input or confirmation from the user. It would thus be desirable to provide a Clear button for a multifunctional printing machine user interface in which all dialogs associated with a given job are cleared subject to suitable user input.
As is known, multifunctional printing machines can be advantageously used for processing a job by electronically percolating job portions in a page buffer. In one example, a job portion is stored in the page buffer for the sake of performing a "Simplex-to-Duplex" or "Duplex-to-Duplex" operation. An example of arranging electronic pages in a system memory for the sake of performing such operations is disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 5,535,312 to Hammer et al.
In another example, multiple job portions can be provided to the multifunctional printing machine for creating a supplement or "build" job. The job supplement approach of U.S. Pat. No. 5,081,494 is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,243,381 to Hube as follows,
In practice, the job supplement is used to supplement a job as it is being scanned into the printing system. That is, when the job supplement mode is engaged, any number of additional documents or groups of documents may be scanned in with the job being scanned. Upon supplementing the job at the scanner, an END JOB icon is selected, and the supplemented job is stored in a memory section of the printing system.
The concept of job supplementation has been extended to the network environment through U.S. Pat. No. 5,579,087 to Salgado in that job segments (referred to herein as "job portions") can be delivered to a subject printer, from different locations on a network, for the sake of compiling the supplemented job.
It is understood that circumstances arise where a user stores one or more job portions in the page buffer and decides not to produce output from the stored corresponding image data. This can be particularly disadvantageous for a "walk-up" printing machine since the user may simply walk away from the job in process and fail to delete the stored image data. In turn, when the next user seeks to clear settings, he or she may encounter additional, wasted prints at the front end of his or her output. It would be desirable to provide a clearing system that optionally "cleans out" the page buffer whenever a "clear all" control is enabled with one or more job portions still stored in the page buffer or system memory.
The disclosures of all of the above-referenced patents are incorporated herein by reference.